Success and failure stories

Three trading days in all of February, and 7,000 flowers left unsold

Gerbera under shade on two bighas at Panisara, Jashore. The election and referendum kept the Godkhali market shut for most of February, leaving only 7-9 February to trade; 7,000 unsold flowers alone cost about a lakh taka.

Bird flu killed 100 hens, the farm closed, and he now cuts earth for a living

A 300-bird layer farm gave 290 eggs a day at 10 taka each, about 2,900 taka of daily income. Bird flu killed 100 hens; he sold the remaining 200 and closed, putting the loss at about a lakh taka.

A 2.5-lakh turkey farm shut within a year

The farm opened in early 2019 with about 250,000 taka and 70 chicks, selling 40-50 hatching eggs a week at 400 taka a dozen. The only buyers were people starting turkey farms, and it closed in February 2020.

Capital

৳2.5 lakh

Started in 2019

A 16-maund bull priced at 6 lakh drew one offer of 2.5 lakh

Over two years this one bull ate more than 200,000 taka of bought feed and still costs 500-600 taka a day. It did not sell at the Eid haat.

Profit in year one, then three straight years of loss

He started shrimp farming on 60 decimals in 2017 while still studying. The first year made a profit, which went straight into a second gher; fish prices then fell, feed prices rose, and three straight years of losses followed.

Ran for

12 months

Started in 2017

Four lakh into biofloc tanks, 60,000 taka of fish sold

Two tanks, tarpaulin, fingerlings and electrical gear cost about 400,000 taka. Two stocking rounds took 180,000 taka of fish, and only 60,000 taka worth was ever sold.

Capital

৳4 lakh

An award-winning farm goes to auction, with 11 court cases behind it

This farmer, decorated with national awards in 2010 and 2011, ran over 50 bighas of fish ponds, 200 cattle and 5,000 chickens. Caught in bank loans from 2012, he now has 11 cases against him and his house and farm are up for auction.